Losing Control
by cltaylor
Summary: Post TS. Ranger asks Steph to do a distraction, and Steph pushes Ranger's limits of control.


Rating: NC-17 for language and sexual suggestions.  
Disclaimer: Always a qualifier… I don't make money and they aren't mine. If I could pimp out Ranger, I'd be one rich bitch.  
Color me spoilered through all books.  
A/N: I've had this idea for some time. I was going to add it in a fic that I was already working on but it just didn't work out. And yes, I'm working on WCA's next chapter.

* * *

**Page 159 of Twelve Sharp:**

"**You can't control yourself?"**

**

* * *

**

**I** was having the grand champion of all stare downs and I was losing the battle.

"No way." I said, using my hands as emphasis. "No freakin' way! My mother's phone would be ringing off the hook within two seconds of me going in there." I waved my hands no, "No way!"

Ranger and I were standing in my kitchen. I'd had a long grueling day of missing three outstandings and ruining my favorite jeans in the half mile chase of a 55 year old skip that could out run me and out fence jump me. It had been a day of disappointments and full of opportunities to make the cash I was so desperately short on right now. But as luck would have it, I was still broke and still had three skips that could outsmart me. What kind of shitty luck was that anyway?

I was standing beside the refrigerator in hopes that the refrigerator fairy had graced me with her presence and brought me a fridge full of food. Ranger was standing at the counter, looking at me like he was the big bad wolf and I was his dinner. He looked as though he was hoping my shirt would magically unbutton itself and fall to the floor. I guessed that there was no such luck for the either of us.

Ranger and I had been keeping our distance, except for the occasional meeting in the alley at the bond's office. The tension between the two of us had been stifling, and each time we got closer and closer to doing something we both really wanted to do; but for the lack of a better term thought-better-of-it. Better to keep that in mind, I thought to myself. I might be embarrassed if I spontaneously combusted from the slightest touch or encouraged him to have hot sweaty sex all night long like we both really wanted to do.

_Okay, like I really wanted to do. _

For months Ranger and I had been dancing around each other. Morelli had been out of my bed for some time and Ranger had warned me once upon a time that if Morelli stayed out of my bed for too long that he'd be back in it. Well someone had not made good on his word because I was as sexually frustrated as a woman could get and with the way we were going there was no relief in sight.

Our eyes met and Ranger looked like he was having a hard time not smiling. To him this was a hilarious situation to be in; but I never said Ranger didn't have a sick sense of humor.

"It's not like you've never done this before," he said with a half smile. "In and out and we're done. Piece of cake."

I snorted. "Easy for you to say. You're mother isn't going to be shouting 'why me' or calling you on your cell phone asking why you can't find a different job."

"Babe."

"Don't babe me. You aren't going to change my mind." I told him, crossing my arms over my chest.

Ranger leaned forward, crossing his arms over his massive chest.

"The money is good." Ranger said, "Really good."

I narrowed my eyes. Hardball. Ranger was playing hardball. I was hard up for money. It was so bad that I was pretty sure that I'd be picking cans out of the garbage bins and taking them in for spare change by the end of the week to make rent.

A wide grin spread across Ranger's face and I pursed my lips and sucked in a breath.

"How much?" I groaned.

"Enough to make it worth your while."

_Well, fuck me… _How did I know he was going to say that?

The club that his skip frequented was known for it's after hour activities. If you were into it, then it was the place to be. It wasn't called _The Velvet Rope_ for nothing.

I'd heard about things that had gone down in that club that burned my ears and made me think twice about my experience in the sack. Going there would certainly broaden my horizons, but I wasn't much interested in that. I liked my horizons just the way that they were.

I nodded my head in his direction, "You have the file? What am I getting myself into?"

"File is in the truck, babe. I know everything you need to know. The skip is Anthony Yeates. He's wanted for first-degree sexual assault, repeat offender. Known to be violent."

"Wonderful," I said. "Fan–fucking-tastic. A sexual deviant with a fondness for violence. Sign me up. This is exactly what I need, to add him to my list of psychos."

Ranger shook his head. "No adding him to the list, babe. This is strictly business. I'll be on the inside acting as your date."

I raised an eyebrow in his direction. Date, huh? Interesting. This could get very interesting.

"How do I need to dress?"

Ranger came from the other side of the counter and leaned into me at the refrigerator. He leaned down, tucked a stray curl behind my ear and kissed me lightly on the lips.

"You know what I like."

* * *

**I** had changed clothes at least twenty times and I was back to the first thing I'd put on. It was a black strappy dress that I'd never worn out in public. I'd bought it at Macy's six months prior by the urging of Lula. It was a fuck me dress. It was one of those dresses you only pulled out of your closet when you were sure you wanted a toss between the sheets. Because all you needed was one look and you had them hooked.

It was very short and almost was so indecent that even I had second thoughts going out in public with that much leg exposed. It was skin tight, low cut and only one string wrapped around my neck held it up. The back was a deep V shape and stopped right at the top of my ass crack. I'd paired it with a pair of black strappy FMP's with a four-inch heel and piled all my hair up on the top of my head to expose my neck.

I'd thrown everything work wise into my clutch, but was pretty sure I wouldn't have to bother with it. Ranger would be on the inside; he'd be packing enough heat on his body to invade a small country. I had always suspected that Ranger didn't feel fully dressed unless he was carrying at least two guns and a knife. I'd rather keep the gun in the cookie jar and know it was in safe keeping for a time I might need it. Which in my case would be never.

I made sure to line my eyes with three coats of black eyeliner and I had four coats of mascara on. I needed all the courage I could muster up in order to do this. I had been doing deep breathing exercises for the past two hours while getting ready for tonight. I was already going to go to hell for stepping foot in this club and all the hell I was going to catch from my mother; I didn't need my mascara to fail me now too.

I heard the lock tumble and I peeked my head out of the bathroom door and looked into the hallway.

"Yo," I said. "I didn't hear you knock."

Ranger came into sight and I was stunned momentarily. I'd seen him in street clothes, but nothing prepares a girl to see a man like Ranger in dress slacks and a button up oxford with two buttons undone exposing a good portion of his mocha colored chest. He had been keeping his hair short lately and tonight he'd fixed it in a style that was favored by the guys in the fashion magazines. He looked every bit like he belonged in one of those spreads and I had work hard mentally not to drool.

"I'll be just a minute." I murmured, pulling my eyes away from him.

I took another look in the mirror and figured I was as good as I was going to get. I put some Dolce Vita on my pulse points and dabbed a little between my breasts for just in case.

I walked out of the bathroom and Ranger was leaning against the doorframe of the bedroom. Suddenly, I got very aware at how short the skirt of my dress was and how tight it clung to me. My nipples contracted when our eyes met and I resisted the urge to tug my dress further over my ass. Maybe this dress wasn't such a good idea in the first place.

"I don't have enough men on staff for the type of riot you're about to cause tonight, babe."

I smiled and grabbed my clutch. "This is insurance." I told him, "This dress will make sure the job gets done tonight."

Ranger smiled, and I knew he wasn't thinking about the job.

I had a feeling tonight was going to be filled with looks and innuendos about what Ranger would like to do to me. Maybe tonight, I'd play along and see what happened when I played with fire.

I swung my hips in his direction and stopped about a foot away. His eyes were assessing me as I sashayed up to him. He paid special attention to how low the neckline cut and how short the skirt rode up on my legs.

"Like what you see?" I asked him, tracing my finger along his jawline.

Ranger raised an eyebrow in my direction and I felt the flush rush to my cheeks. He took my hand and placed my finger on his lips. His tongue touched the pad of my finger and then his teeth scraped against it as his eyes made their way from mine and slowly worked their way down my body. By the time he made it back up to my eyes, I was throbbing in more than one place. If I'd been wearing underwear they'd be ruined.

"I have no complaints." Ranger said, letting my hand go and reached out, sliding his finger under the string wrapped around my neck. His finger was caressing the skin softly and he followed the string to where it connected to the fabric of the dress at the swell of my breasts. His knuckles touched the tops of my breasts just briefly and I found myself leaning into him for more.

I had my lips poised just inches away from his and my eyes were half closed, "I think I'm ready."

I heard him chuckle, and his hand moved from the side of my breasts to my lower back and he pulled me firmly against him. Ranger's body was hard all over, but one place in particular was ready for some action. I felt my pelvic muscles contract and I gasped.

Ranger flashed me the wolf grin and his thumb was making lazy circles on the bare skin of my lower back. He leaned his head close to left side and his breath was warm on the shell of my ear.

"You seem tense, babe." His tongue flicked out and touched my earlobe and I swear that my knees almost gave out, "Need some help with that?"

"Not yet." I squeaked out.

He kept a firm hold on me and leaned back. His smile had widened.

With the way things were looking, I'd either have a lengthy session with the shower massager tonight when I got back from the club or have a lengthy session with a Sex God all night. At this point, I'd be doing well to get either one. I didn't think it was a great idea going after a guy who was hell bent on being overly aggressive sexually when I had so much pent up sexual frustration; but with Ranger around, I could just focus all that on him. This was going to make for one helluva night when I got home.

"Let's get this show on the road." I told him.

* * *

**W**e were standing in the shadows of the club. Ranger had his back to the wall and had inserted himself into a corner where he could see every little thing going on. Ranger had three other men in the club with us and three outside for once I lured Anthony into the waiting Merry Men's clutches.

I was on the look out for Anthony myself. Ranger had briefed me about what he looked like and the things he'd done to the other women. To even think about him gave me the heebie jeebies; but for the money I was going to suck it up and be a professional.

I spotted a man that fit Ranger's description and tossed Ranger a look over my shoulder. Ranger nodded and came to stand behind me. I leaned my head back on his shoulder and Ranger dipped his ear to my mouth.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

The beat of the song was thumping loud against the walls of the club and ever square inch of the place was packed. People were on the dance floor grinding against each other and some were even openly making out. Anthony turned and locked eyes with me, and I instinctively curled back into Ranger. Even from this distance I could see the craziness in his eyes.

"I want you to get his attention," Ranger murmured in my ear.

"And how do you suggest I do that?" I asked him, "Walk over to him, put his hand on my breast and ask him if he'd like to see more?"

I heard a snort of laughter on the other end of the wire and I knew the guys were getting a kick out of this.

"That wasn't exactly what I had in mind, babe." Ranger told me softly in my ear. He knew exactly how to pitch his voice so that he couldn't be picked up on my mic.

"Oh."

"Don't say anything," Ranger told me. "Just follow my lead."

_Oh, boy._

One of Ranger's hands slid up my arm and came to my shoulders, caressing the soft skin on my collarbone with his thumbs, his other one was at my hip bone, pulling me flush against him. His lips were touching my ear lightly and I could feel the goosebumps dance along my skin.

"This dress inspires a man to lose control." Ranger murmured to me, "Makes a man think about peeling it away from that smooth porcelain skin of yours and letting his lips taste every inch."

My lips parted slightly and with every intake, I could feel my heart beating a little bit harder against my ribs. His voice was low, velvet smooth and invading my senses like fine wine. He knew just what to say to make my bones melt into mush.

"I'd kiss every inch of your body, babe, until your cries of release could be heard by everyone in the building and I still wouldn't be done." I held my breath as his tongue flicked out and touched the hollow spot underneath my ear and moved his way back to my ear, "I'll spend all night just tasting you and still not have enough."

The throbbing between my legs had gotten so intense that my legs were starting to tremble. My body was on fire and tingling and the only coherent thought entering into my mind was the thought of getting Ranger out of there, out of his clothes and me out of mine.

"I want to hear your sweet little cries as I push your limits of satisfaction. Feel your body tighten in reaction against me and feel you pulse around me as you orgasm." His teeth grazed against my earlobe, and my nipples hardened to pencil points. "Over and over again, babe."

The rush I got was so strong it took my breath away and when I was able to breath again, I sucked in a ragged breath. My mind was running in slow motion, thinking of all the possibilities. We'd only spent the night together once, but that one experience was something that I wouldn't soon forget. When he told me that he could ruin me for all other men, I believed him. He had been close that night, and he told me that when he put his mind to it, he'd be the only one to ever satisfy me again. Was I ready for that?

_Oh, hell yeah_. A Ranger induced orgasm sounded like the best idea I'd had in years.

The DJ was switching up the beat and the dance beat slowed down quite a bit, sounding more seductive and erotic. I suddenly got an idea. He was always teasing me to the brink, what would happen if I returned the favor?

I moved my hips slowly to the beat, making sure to keep my hips flushed to him. His fingers on my hipbone tightened.

"What are you doing, babe?"

I turned and plastered myself against him, slipping one of his legs between mine and put my lips to his neck, my hand slipping into the open material of his shirt touching his skin. I started a slow grind against him and heard him groan. I mentally grinned. I leaned against him, bringing my lips to his ear.

"You think you could satisfy me, Ranger?" I breathed to him; "I could give you a run for your money. Can you imagine me standing in front of you, slowly peeling off my dress, watching my hands wander down my body, cupping my breast and sliding further down as you watched and couldn't touch?"

I could feel his heart beating hard against my breast; but his breathing was steady and controlled. I rocked my hips into his and rolled them against him. He wasn't as unaffected as he would have liked to been, I thought to myself. He was as hard as a rock.

"Mmmmm," I moaned in his ear. His hands tightened on my hips like steel bands to steady me against him, and I smiled against his neck, "I'd let the dress fall to the floor and I'd peel off your clothes one piece at a time, letting my hands touch you first and then my tongue. Can you imagine how that would feel, Ranger? My tongue wrapped around you, your hands in my hair, the slow rhythm of my mouth sliding up and down."

Ranger nudged my neck and his teeth nipped the soft skin of my neck, and his hands came to rest cupping my ass.

"You need to stop, babe."

"No." I breathed out.

We locked eyes and the heat smoldering in his was an all-consuming fire. My core temperature was pushing past an inferno and self-combusting was quite the possibility right now. I'd played with the fire for as long as I was going to get away with it. Time to finish the game and suffer the consequences later.

"If I told you that I wasn't wearing any panties, would you want to find out for yourself?" I moaned in his ear, "Would you test me to see how wet I was for you? Push a finger inside of me and make me come?"

Ranger's reply was swift, his hands lifted me slightly from the ground so that we were flush against one another and his lips came down on mine swift and hard. He was hot and demanding, his tongue pushing past my lips and conquering. When he pulled away from me, I was breathless and at a loss for words.

"Are you ready?" Ranger asked me.

"More than ready." I murmured, looking at his lips.

"The skip, babe."

The smile that played at Ranger's lips was one of tightly restrained control and sexual frustration; like he was a tightly wound spring about ready to be sprung.

_Join the club_, I thought. I'd been that way for months. The showerhead was not the best replacement a girl could ever ask for.

I looked up in his eyes, and came out of my daze.

"Oh, yeah. Right. The skip."

Ranger nodded past me, "He's been watching the entire time. He seems interested. Go do your thing. I'll be keeping tabs on you from here."

I gave him one last look and turned, making my way over to the skip. I weaved my way through the dancing couples and walked up to his side. His eyes never left my body as I stood in front of him. He was assessing me, sizing me up for the leading role in his sick little fantasy playing currently in his head.

He told me his name was Anthony and asked if I frequented the club because he'd never seen me before. I shook my head no.

"I've been watching you all night with that man. You make a hot couple." He told me. "Does he satisfy you?"

I shot him a playful look and leaned closer to him, "Are you wanting a shot at playing the leading role for a night?"

"I was thinking a little more like some ménage action." He told me, nodding his head in Ranger's direction, "I wouldn't mind getting to know him a little better too."

My eyes widened slightly in surprise. This was the first time I'd been told by a skip that I wouldn't be enough for him. Amusing. Ranger wasn't going to find this the slightest bit funny, but I could imagine the look on his face when I waltzed back over there and told him.

I gave Anthony a look that would make any man come in his boxers and told him to wait right there while I went to get "my date". I made my way back to Ranger.

"What?" He asked me as I got to him.

"He doesn't want just me. He wants you too." I told Ranger with a smile. "He wants to get to know you better as well."

A muscle twitched in Ranger's cheek and I heard a snort over the mic. I had to stifle down a laugh, because I was pretty sure that this wasn't what Ranger had in mind.

Ranger gave me a long look that made my toes curl. He reached out and pulled me to him and pressed a light kiss to my lips. His lips went back to my ear and I felt my knees give out.

"Let's get this show on the road. I have plans for you the rest of the night and the sooner we get this over with the better." Ranger told me softly.

He kissed me softly on the lips again and took my hand, leading me back to the skip.

We exchanged pleasantries and Ranger got right down to business.

"She tells me that you're interested in her." Ranger told Anthony.

Anthony smiled and looked Ranger over, "You as well." He picked up my hand and pressed his lips to my knuckles, keeping his eyes on Ranger, "I know of a little place in the back. The owner really won't mind."

His lips touching my skin made it crawl. I worked hard not to flinch. I looked to Ranger and his face was blank as usual. He locked eyes with me and my lips parted. If it were possible to get eye fucked, I think that would have done it. Ranger wasn't playing games, and I was more than anxious myself to get this over with. I looked back at Anthony and leaned closer to him.

"We don't need an audience for the things I'd like to do to you." I told him, "We have a place not far from here. Maybe you'd like to come home with us?" I gave him the sultry heavy lidded look and licked my lips.

Anthony gave me one last look and flicked a glance to Ranger. Ranger shrugged a shoulder and Anthony locked eyes with me.

"Anything you want, sweet lips. Just lead the way."

I lead the way out of the club and Ranger was walking behind Anthony. Once we walked out of the doors, Tank and Hal grabbed Anthony and subdued him. Anthony was shouting obscenities and struggling against Tank before he literally threw him in the back of the Explorer, letting Hal strap him in.

Tank and Ranger exchanged looks and Tank, Hal, and Junior all took off. The other three men filtered out of the club and spoke to Ranger briefly before getting into another Explorer and taking off. It was just Ranger and I standing in the streetlight. He gave me a look that melted what little resolve I had left and steered me towards the Turbo.

We rode in silence back to the apartment and as we made it to my front door, my heart started to pound uncontrollably. I could feel the heat of Ranger's body on my back as I struggled to get my front door unlocked. I was having difficulty controlling my breathing and my nerves were causing me to fumble around clumsily. Once I did get the door unlocked, I stumbled in, shutting the door behind Ranger and leaning against it.

Ranger stood about five feet in front of me, looking me in the eye as he unbuttoned the cuffs on his shirt. I stood, watching him, mesmerized by the picture of male perfection he made. He took one step towards me, and then another, and another until he was standing only inches away. His hand reached out and curled around my waist, pulling me into him. My fingers curled into his shirt and his lips came down on mine, soft at first and then getting more insistent as the kiss went on. His body was hard and unyielding as he backed me into the door and held me there.

Ranger's hand slid up my inner thigh to my hemline, "I think it's time for me to find out for myself if you're wearing panties or not." He leaned down and kissed me again, "babe…"

* * *

_The End._


End file.
